27th July, 2020
By Adejoke Adeleye
A then factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Silkirulai Ogundele has been elected new state chairman of the party to pilot its affairs for another four years.
For some years, the party has been maintaining two factions in the state with Samson Bangbose leading Buruji Kashamu’s faction and later, Ogundele leading the faction loyal to Ladi Adebutu.
But, Ogundele, while speaking with Journalists at the congress held at the Olusegun Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, insisted that there had been no factions in the party, arguing that the party had only experienced misunderstanding among members.
The Chairman hinted that all members of the party, including those perceived to be aggrieved had been united through the intervention of the party’s national organ.
He said “It was a misunderstanding and not crisis that led to people leaving the Party. But today we have convinced ourselves on the reason why we have to come together. We now have everybody in our fold today.”
He added “We thank God that we have our party back. The national organ has intervened based on current court judgement. Based on my activeness, proactiveness and uprightness, I have been unanimously elected as the Chairman of PDP, Ogun State chapter”.
The new Chairman, who was the sole candidate at the Congress, promised to run all inclusive administration and to bring all aggrieved members together towards building a virile and united PDP ahead of 2023 election.
Outgoing Chairman, Adebayo Dayo, who was once in the Kashamu’s camp stressed that what had been in existence since two years in the state’s PDP was groupings, expressing optimism that the party would take over the state come 2013.
His words “There is no other side in PDP, we have many groups in PDP, all we have been trying to do in the last two years was to make sure we come together, and today we have made peace by having a genuine continuation, and you can see that, you see people, you see them very happy, because now they know, we have a very bright future, and I can tell you, there are no groups anymore in PDP. We have all come together to stay under one umbrella.”